1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to diets for promoting weight loss in animals, and, more particularly to diets for promoting fat loss in adult animals. This invention also relates to compositions for promoting fat loss in adult animals, methods for preparing such compositions, methods for using such diets and compositions, articles of manufacture comprising such diets and compositions, and means for communicating information about such diets, compositions, methods, and articles of manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Overweight and obese animals accumulate excessive quantities of body fat. Excessive body fat and weight are related as body weight increases when fat accumulates. While body weight can increase from the accumulation of any tissue or fluid, the majority of overweight animals are overweight due to the accumulation of excess body fat.
Excess body fat has detrimental effects on health and longevity, and obesity has been associated with numerous diseases such as, for example, hypertension, degenerative joint and orthopedic disease, cardiovascular disease, and heat intolerance. Thus, strategies for fat loss and overall weight management are very important for both the short- and long-term health of animals and overweight and obese animals in particular.
Different treatment strategies attempt to address fat loss and weight management. Some such strategies focus on reducing the amount of fat in foods. Because fat has about 2.25 times the calories of an equivalent weight of carbohydrate or protein, reduced fat foods have decreased caloric density. However, reduced fat foods typically are less palatable than calorically dense foods. In addition, consumption of reduced fat foods typically contributes to poor skin and/or pelage quality.
Other weight and fat loss strategies focus on increasing the amount of fiber in foods while reducing the amount of fat. Dietary fiber can facilitate weight loss by diluting calories, limiting food consumption as a result of more bulk being present in the gastrointestinal tract, increasing satiety, and/or decreasing the availability of calories by interfering with the digestion of fat, protein, and soluble carbohydrate. Reduced fat/high fiber foods typically are less palatable than calorically dense foods. In addition, reduced fat/high fiber foods typically have lower digestibility and also can cause gastric distress.
Yet other weight and fat loss strategies focus on increasing the amount of protein and fat in foods while limiting or altogether excluding carbohydrates. These strategies are based on the theory that overweight animals eat too many carbohydrates. While both carbohydrates and fats are burned for energy, carbohydrates are used first. The premise is that when the intake of carbohydrates is drastically reduced bodies will naturally lose weight by burning stored fat more efficiently. There has been a discussion about the short- and long-term risks of no- or low-carbohydrate diets. In addition, such diets have delivered nixed results.
Thus, there is a need for alternative compositions and methods for promoting fat loss in animals, particularly in overweight and obese adult animals.